Fantasy Flight Games is an American publisher that made some of the most beloved Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying and card games ever released. If you’ve played Dark Heresy or Warhammer 40,000: Conquest, you’ve already met their work.
Who they are and how they got the licence
Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) is an independent game company, not a Games Workshop subsidiary like Forge World or Black Library. They built their reputation on original titles and licensed board, card, and roleplaying games, including a long-running line based on The Lord of the Rings.
Games Workshop granted them a licence to produce Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy products. That partnership ran for years and gave us a huge library of RPG books and card games that are still talked about today.
The Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying games
FFG’s 40k RPGs were a big deal because they let you explore the setting from very different angles. Each game line had its own core rulebook, Game Master’s Kit, and a string of supplements.
Dark Heresy put you in the shoes of an Inquisitor’s agents, while Rogue Trader let you command a starship and a crew. Deathwatch focused on Space Marines, Black Crusade let you play Chaos followers, and Only War dropped you into the Astra Militarum.
- Dark Heresy: Inquisitorial acolytes investigating heresy.
- Rogue Trader: exploration and trade on the edge of the Imperium.
- Deathwatch: elite Space Marine kill-teams.
- Black Crusade: servants of the Ruinous Powers.
- Only War: Imperial Guard soldiers in the meat grinder.
Board games and card games
Beyond RPGs, FFG released board games like Horus Heresy and Relic, plus card games such as Death Angel and Warhammer 40,000: Conquest. They also made Warhammer Fantasy titles like Chaos in the Old World and Warhammer: Invasion.
These games brought the 40k universe to the tabletop in different ways, from co-op survival to competitive card duels.
| Game | Type |
|---|---|
| Dark Heresy | Roleplaying game |
| Rogue Trader | Roleplaying game |
| Deathwatch | Roleplaying game |
| Black Crusade | Roleplaying game |
| Only War | Roleplaying game |
| Horus Heresy | Board game |
| Relic | Board game |
| Death Angel | Card game |
| Warhammer 40,000: Conquest | Card game |
The end of the partnership
On February 28, 2017, Games Workshop and Fantasy Flight Games ended their business relationship. After that date, FFG stopped selling all Games Workshop-related products.
If you’re looking for those RPG books or card games today, you’ll need to hunt them down second-hand. They’re out of print from FFG, though the 40k RPG licence later moved to Cubicle 7.
Key facts
- Fantasy Flight Games is an independent publisher, not a Games Workshop subsidiary.
- They held a licence to make Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy games.
- Their 40k RPGs included Dark Heresy, Rogue Trader, Deathwatch, Black Crusade, and Only War.
- They also made board games like Horus Heresy and card games like Warhammer 40,000: Conquest.
- The Games Workshop partnership ended on February 28, 2017.
- All their Games Workshop products are now out of print.
FAQ
Does Fantasy Flight Games still make Warhammer 40,000 games?
No. Their partnership with Games Workshop ended on February 28, 2017, and they no longer sell any Games Workshop licensed products.
What Warhammer 40,000 RPGs did Fantasy Flight Games publish?
They published five main lines: Dark Heresy, Rogue Trader, Deathwatch, Black Crusade, and Only War, each with its own core book and supplements.
Who owns the Warhammer 40,000 RPG licence now?
After FFG, the licence went to Cubicle 7, who produced games like Wrath & Glory and later the current edition of Dark Heresy’s spiritual successor.